Referee Lindsay says he is not here as 'policeman'

Mohali, December 3: Denis Lindsay, the ICC match referee for the current India-England Test Cricket series, says he is not here to be the "big policeman" and would like to see the umpires take "control of the game".

Lindsay, a former South African Test cricketer, also said as yet he had no "specific instructions" from the International Cricket Council on his approach towards the match but did not foresee any problem regarding the presence of Virendra Sehwag in the Indian squad here as long as he doesn't do anything to "influence the game".

"I'm not here to be the big policeman. I'm here to see what I hope will be a good game of cricket," said Lindsay, two weeks after Mike Denness, the match referee for the India -South Africa series triggered a serious crisis in the game after handing out punishment to six Indian players for match offences.

"I have had no specific instructions from the ICC but I believe in treating players like adults, even if they sometimes act like children. I like to see the umpires take control of the things in the middle and, in Steve Bucknor and S Venkataraghavan, we have two very experienced world-class umpires," he said.

In an encouraging response regarding Sehwag, Lindsay said, "He is a young man who has a few days to reflect upon what he has done."

"But, he is no criminal, so why treat hinm like one. There is no reason why he can't be part of the squad and I personally have no objection to him carrying out the drinks, as long as he doesn't do anything to influence the game," he added.

Sehwag, who is serving a one-Test ban at Mohali, has been practising with the squad and will spend the Test in and around the dressing-room.

Lindsay is expected to bring firmness and a sense of perspective to the Tests in India.